Nikkei reported earlier today that Nintendo is ceasing their production of their Wii U console sometime by the end of the year, but Nintendo has since then denied the report, stating that the comment did not come from Nintendo.
The original Nikkei report stated that Nintendo will cease production on the Wii U by the end of the year, and they also added that the company has already stopped manufacturing some of the accessories, as they intend to deplete inventory for the year. It was also stated that this decision was likely made because of the Wii U’s low sales due to a lack of popular titles, and as a way to prepare for their next-generation console, the NX.
However, Nintendo has since then commented to IT Media, stating that the announcement did not come from their company, and they intend to continue production on Wii U consoles beyond the next fiscal term.
Keep in mind that this story could go both ways, so it’d be better to take it by the grain of salt for the time being. We’ll likely see the NX get revealed in the near future so it makes sense for the company to focus more on it; however, at the same time, there are plenty of Wii U titles that continue to sell well such as Splatoon and Super Mario Maker, which are said to be the reason the console has been short in stock as of late.
According to Nintendo’s statement, they will announce their annual sales estimates for their systems on April 27 for their fiscal year earnings, and they will continue on with their Wii U shipments.
